Meschede is a town in the Hochsauerland district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the district Hochsauerlandkreis.

Education

One of the five branches of South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences (also: Fachhochschule Südwestfalen (FH SWF)) is located here.

Geography

Meschede is situated in the Ruhr valley, near to the Hennesee, south of the nature-park Arnsberger Wald. Major towns in the vicinity of Meschede are Paderborn (51 km), Kassel (85 km), Siegen (57 km), Hagen, Dortmund (60 km) and Hamm (49 km).

Neighbouring municipalities

Division of the town

After the local government reforms of 1975 Meschede consists of these districts and villages:

History

Meschede was founded as a settlement around a convent, the Walpurgis-Stift, in the 10th century. In 1572, it became a member of the Hanseatic League. In the 18th century, many inhabitants of Meschede died during at least two epidemics of dysentery. Both in World War I and in World War II, Meschede was notorious as a location where the Germans exploited POWs in labour camps. In February, 1945, the town was destroyed by Allied air raid bombings, because of its strategically important railway station, but rebuilt after the war. In 1921, the Sauerländer Heimatbund was founded. In 1970, Meschede's St. Walburga Hospital was the site of a smallpox outbreak, as described in the book The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston.

Economy

Meschede is the seat of three major companies: An industrial zone is located near the crossing of the A 46 with the B 55 (see below). Tourism also is important to the town's economy.

Transportation

Meschede is connected with two national roads, the federal roads B 7 and B 55, and the motorway A 46. Meschede has a railroad station, and is connected via the Sauerland Net, RB 57, to Arnsberg and other towns. It has an airfield, the Meschede-Schüren Airfield, with a 900 m runway.

Climate

The city's climate is continental. The lowest temperature recorded was -20 °C, its highest was recorded at 39 °C.

Culture

Spanish fricco is a traditional stew dish of Meschede.

Mayors of Meschede

Notable people

Main sights

Twin towns – sister cities

Meschede is twinned with: Meschede also has friendly relations with: